Inspirations
Dave's brother John is a vintage car collector, and this is his new baby a 1913 Ford Model T. He was down for a rally in Limerick and stayed with us during pox season this weekend.
I've seen several photos lately of washing lines and bleeding heart flowers...so here is my homage...our little fairy garden with bluebells, pincushion flowers (appropriate for quilters, no?) and some tiny bleeding hearts peeping out...
The washing line is new with me. When we first moved here I didn't own a dryer, it is a luxury here in Ireland still...most houses will have the washer most definitely...but while we were renting for our first few years in Ireland, I had to dry clothes on very weak radiators in winter as it was always rainy! I promised I'd never use a washing line again, lol! Since 1999 I've had a house and a dryer, and never had a washing line... but while I'll never go back to hanging socks for weeks to dry in a damp house during rainy weather and winter, I am loving using a washing line in our gorgeous sunny weather we've had lately. Something very zen like hanging out those clothes, just being in the moment of the day, hearing the birds singing, feeling the breeze... I've been really inspired by other bloggers and by my fellow Irish friends who always hang out their wash to get the line and get out there!
Here is a basket I made back in the days ( I really need to get back to making willow baskets, I loved it!!) it is full of seeds I should have planted out...still not up to it today, but maybe tomorrow!!??I am sorry that I am not the best blogger. I see less and less comments on my blog and I know it is because I don't leave many myself. I read a lot, but am not great at commenting. But I've been lucky to make some wonderful new friends through this blog and I've been asked by my fellow expat Tracy at Pink Purl (wonderful crafty blog, go visit!) to name my five inspirational blogs. I met Tracy because I was looking up a Norwegian craft designer who does a craft line called Tilda. I'm glad that I left a comment...and found her blog.
So my five international inspirational blogs are:
Pink Purl (Norway): US Expat Tracy has a wonderful way with words. Her cooking, crafting and gardening are lovely to look at and her posts make you slow down and appreciate your days.
Spools and Thimbles (Sweden): Dutch expat Barbara makes beautiful quilts, bags and is into lots more crafty things. She and I have become friends and real life and she inspires me everyday to do new projects and get others done. Looking forward to having her and her husband visiting in a few weeks!
Tazzie Quilts (Australia): Tazzie how do you get so much done with two children!! A published designer, she makes me amazed with each post how much she can get done in a day, lol, and still manage to coach a netball team and keep up with housework. You are my mommy hero, and I love all your projects!!
Yarn Harlot (Canada): I love this blog...she is very funny, check her out. Obsessed crafters will relate, she may even get you knitting! I think she has something like 8000 subscribers on Bloglines, and she uses her power, lol, for good, raising money for Medicins sans Frontieres. She is also an author and has some really funny books out there.
Quilting with the Past (Netherlands): I love antique quilts and love Lucy's quilts inspired by them! Lots of eye candy here.
There really are so many more that I love to read, but check out some of these, lots of good stuff!
posted by Cathi at 2:46 PM
11 Comments:
I'm not the best for leaving comments any more either. But I do read many blogs and get inspiration from them all yours being one of them.
Hi Cathi,
I stink at leaving comments but I do always check your blog to see what craftiness you are up to. Glad to see you guys are getting so much great weather there!
-Carrie
Thank you, Cathi, for your very kind words! I'm so glad to have met you ((HUGS)) I love reading your blog, and you present it very well, I always look forward to a post. You have a busy life, and do so much you are a marvel! A great list of fave blogs there--thanks for sharing. Happy Days! :o)
I just love to hang out fresh laundry too - although many of the newer developments have covenants against clothes lines now - how could that ever be?! Also, in Austria - while a washer is common, the dryer is not. I do miss my excellent folding clothes rack from Austria - the ones in North America just don't have the same "feel".
Cheers!
Evelyn
I'm glad to see you posting again. I just bought my second drying rack for the yard and I'm also enjoying the smell of freshly dried laundry. So sweet!
I've been away looking at elephants, hence the not commenting on your blog lately :)
I love the basket and the latest quilt finish looks great.
I'm currently hanging my clothes on the line - love the smell of sun dried sheets - as our dryer has packed it in. Must get it repaired before winter really sets in.
Interesting to hear you say that dryers are still a luxury there, here washing machines are a luxury. Most of the major soap brands adverts show women hand washing their clothes and I know very few people personally with a dryer.
I notice in my stats that blog visits have gone down about 15% in the last year. I think people are doing less visiting. I know I've had less time for it, and only get all the way around every couple of weeks. I can get 50 visits and 10% leave comments.
It does go up when I get around to everyone, but not all that much.
I have a dryer but I wouldn't have used it 5 times in the last 2 years. We get plenty of sun and wind, and not as much rain as we used to get. My washing machine has the strongest spin cycle on it, and I can hang clothes in the house if I want as nothing ever drips. Thanks for the offer of the freezer paper, but as you can see I am stocked up now. I still haven't tried a block using the freezer paper template - maybe tomorrow.
I MISS using a clothesline! I have total shade and a badillion birds!!! Not a good combo. As for comments....I don't always leave them either. Honestly, and this is stupid, I find it a Pain with a capital P to sign in to blogger each time walk away from the computer. Keep posting though. We are reading!
Dryers a luxury in Ireland? Really? Am afraid that doesn't agree with my experiences of living in Ireland for my whole life!
While rental property may not have a separate dryer (they might have a combined washer/dryer) almost all families will have one. Thing is, it may not be used much - why ruin your clothes in a hot machine when you can hang them up instead? It's better for the environment, your garments will last longer, won't shrink and will smell so much fresher.
Plus, most people have clothes lines that are outside and uncovered, but also have second lines in a garage and shed. That way they are still drying their clothes naturally, but away from the rain.
Gee Cathi, you certainly captured the essence of hanging laundry. There's nothing nicer at the end of the day than to drop into sheets that have been flapping in the breeze and having sunshine bleach them white. When season permits I love to hang wash outside even after 46 years. Another Yank...tranplanted from N.E. to Fl.
Chris
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